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Salaam.
Based on my considerable research on coverage of this group, I want to share what I understand about them so that it may be beneficial to others.
1. Illegitimate "Khilafah":
Their claim to be a caliphate is not based on reality. A caliphate is the highest authority of Muslims: what authority did Baghdadi's inner circle who appointed him as caliph have to choose the leader of all Muslims? There was no consensus or backing from the ulema. In fact, majority of Ulema oppose them outright.
Furthermore they have no power outside their area of control, which represents a small fraction of Muslims worldwide. A caliphate should be able to provide security for its citizens, yet ISIS are unable to guarantee security even within their zone.
2. Excesses
The brutality of ISIS is well documented. They are obsessed with carrying out executions and proudly displaying the corpse or severed head. This includes burning alive, running over by tank, drowning, electrocution etc. They also violate Islamic rulings by declaring that there is no difference in ruling between killing civilians and combatants. This is wrong from an Islamic standpoint, which clearly distinguishes the two. They have literally taken what is haraam (murder) and made it permissible.
For example, after the mistreatment and killing of two women in Egypt who allegedly converted to Islam (although doubt has been raised about this) by their Coptic Christian families, IS took revenge by blowing up a Catholic church in Iraq killing many. Those Christians in Iraq had nothing to do with what happened in Egypt, yet were targetted and punished. As if this wasn't bad enough, earlier this year, a group of Egyptian copts in Libya were beheaded on mass, also part of retribution for the plight of those women. Basically, they find any excuse to kill and base it on an extremely flawed veiw of Islam.
3. Sexual slavery
Contrary to what ISIS members claim, sexual slavery is not part of Islam. ISIS believe women can be forced into intercourse if they refuse, and women can be bought, sold and raped. This is wrong from an Islamic standpoint - which states that captives/slaves/servants must be treated with kindness. There is nothing from Islam that says a woman can be forced to have sex.
4. Takfir
ISIS declare takfir on entire groups of Muslims for flimsy reasons. They believe that those who don't give allegiance (bayah) to Baghdadi will not go to Jannah - so apparently, Baghdadi has the gates to Jannah. They believe that anyone who opposes IS is a kafir and should be fought for no other reason. Other jihadi groups are kafir also according to them. They claim anyone who fights ISIS is fighting against Islam itself. It's absurd.
Based on my considerable research on coverage of this group, I want to share what I understand about them so that it may be beneficial to others.
1. Illegitimate "Khilafah":
Their claim to be a caliphate is not based on reality. A caliphate is the highest authority of Muslims: what authority did Baghdadi's inner circle who appointed him as caliph have to choose the leader of all Muslims? There was no consensus or backing from the ulema. In fact, majority of Ulema oppose them outright.
Furthermore they have no power outside their area of control, which represents a small fraction of Muslims worldwide. A caliphate should be able to provide security for its citizens, yet ISIS are unable to guarantee security even within their zone.
2. Excesses
The brutality of ISIS is well documented. They are obsessed with carrying out executions and proudly displaying the corpse or severed head. This includes burning alive, running over by tank, drowning, electrocution etc. They also violate Islamic rulings by declaring that there is no difference in ruling between killing civilians and combatants. This is wrong from an Islamic standpoint, which clearly distinguishes the two. They have literally taken what is haraam (murder) and made it permissible.
For example, after the mistreatment and killing of two women in Egypt who allegedly converted to Islam (although doubt has been raised about this) by their Coptic Christian families, IS took revenge by blowing up a Catholic church in Iraq killing many. Those Christians in Iraq had nothing to do with what happened in Egypt, yet were targetted and punished. As if this wasn't bad enough, earlier this year, a group of Egyptian copts in Libya were beheaded on mass, also part of retribution for the plight of those women. Basically, they find any excuse to kill and base it on an extremely flawed veiw of Islam.
3. Sexual slavery
Contrary to what ISIS members claim, sexual slavery is not part of Islam. ISIS believe women can be forced into intercourse if they refuse, and women can be bought, sold and raped. This is wrong from an Islamic standpoint - which states that captives/slaves/servants must be treated with kindness. There is nothing from Islam that says a woman can be forced to have sex.
4. Takfir
ISIS declare takfir on entire groups of Muslims for flimsy reasons. They believe that those who don't give allegiance (bayah) to Baghdadi will not go to Jannah - so apparently, Baghdadi has the gates to Jannah. They believe that anyone who opposes IS is a kafir and should be fought for no other reason. Other jihadi groups are kafir also according to them. They claim anyone who fights ISIS is fighting against Islam itself. It's absurd.
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